A bottlenose dolphin that became entangled in a net in Auckland waters has now been freed.
On Tuesday the Department of Conservation (DOC) appealed for sightings of the subadult, or juvenile, dolphin which was travelling with a fully grown dolphin.
It was first reported to DOC’s hotline on December 29.
DOC operations manager Kirsty Prior said the team found the dolphin and its companion at 12.50pm yesterday.
“The disentanglement team were able to get a working line with grapnel and floats on the animal. This allowed the team to bring the dolphin close to the boat and work carefully with specialist knives to cut it free by 1.54pm,” she said.
“We monitored the area for several hours and can confirm the dolphin is free of the entanglement and swimming strongly.”
Prior urged people to give the dolphin space while it takes time to heal and rest before leaving the area.
“We would like to thank everyone who called the hotline, the public were vital in helping our team do their job successfully.”
Jocelin Friend from Te Kawerau ā Maki welcomed the invitation to be on the vessel and see the disentanglement take place.
“Te Wai Roa ō Kahu and Rangitōpuni awa are our ancestral waterways. Our duty as kaitiaki is to ensure our taonga species are treated with utmost care.
“I was impressed with how the team worked together swiftly, carefully and in respect of tikanga Māori to safely free the dolphin,” she said.
